JACQUI ROWE: KEEPING POETRY ALIVE
'You may have seen Jacqui's Feature Article or read about her in our November 2007 update, but in case you missed both, here's a quick reminder:
"Writer and course leader Jacqui Rowe has been a leading light in bringing live poetry and educational events to the West Midlands. She was recently long-listed for the Bridport Poetry Prize 2007, an international creative writing competition which was launched in 1973. Her passion for poetry currently sees her fighting the battle to keep her regular live poetry evening alive despite the closure of the Midlands Arts Centre. Take a look at her website to find out how you could help with sponsorship, words of encouragement or to find out about courses in creative writing." Artsphere November Update, 2007

Well Jacqui is certainly winning the battle to keep both her poetry evening and workshops alive, and is making rather a success of things. Artsphere Director, Jax Lovelock, had the opportunity to catch up with Jacqui recently following the first Poetry Bites event held indendently from the Midlands Arts Centre. Jacqui says, "The evening went really well, there were lots of people there, as many as we had at MAC." Eager to move on, Jacqui is now clarifying the aims of Poetry Bites and looking at ways of accessing funding so that more people can benefit from both that and her Making Poetry Workshops.

Jacqui's work is engaging and inspirational, and well worth a look.'